Fairytales
by copperlights
Summary: Usa, Ami, Rei, Mako and Mina all are in school and have boyfriends. The GBoys to be specific. Ami finds an old fairytale book while bored, and they read out loud and have fun... Story better than summary. I guess.
1. Prologue

Tenshi-Hotaru: Hey guys! Long time no see! Anyways, this idea popped into my head while I was reading a fairytale book, and I realized that some of the princesses looked like the scouts. So, I decided to have a little story- telling kind of story. Guess I'll get it over with.  
  
***Summary: Usa, Ami, Rei, Mako and Mina all are in school and have boyfriends. The G-Boys to be specific. Ami finds an old fairytale book while bored, and they read out loud and have fun. ***  
  
Some of this might seem overdone, but I like it. I really hope that this is an interesting plot, but I'm just playing around and experimenting. Feel free to flame.  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing! I still go to high school, and I can't draw squat unless I'm looking and comparing to my own drawing, or if I'm tracing. So how can I draw all those magnificent characters? I can't! So you can't sue!!  
  
On with the fic!  
  
Prologue  
  
Ten teens, five young women and five young men, were sitting around a table, which was in one of the massive rooms of one of these people's house, in pairs, one girl and one guy. The pairs were each sitting together in either a loveseat, an armchair or a couch. They were all very known couples.  
  
One pair, a girl with knee-length hair kept off her face with a red bow and crystal blue eyes, and a guy with a waist-length brown braid and laughing cobalt eyes, were huddled together on an armchair, well, more like the guy was sitting in an armchair and the girl was sitting with her legs over the right arm of the armchair, and her head on the other, and the blonde was giggling loudly. They were Mina Aino and Duo Maxwell.  
  
One of the other pairs, one of the ones on the loveseats, was a girl with auburn hair tied up in a high ponytail and emerald eyes and a guy with unruly dark brown hair and Prussian blue eyes, the girl was leaning on the guy, head on his shoulder, and the guy had both his arms around her waist, his head on hers. They both appeared to be sleeping. Guys and girls had learned to stay away from both, for fear of getting hurt by one or both of the couple. These two were Makoto Kino, most known as Mako, and Heero Yui.  
  
The other pair on the other loveseat was a girl with short ebony hair with dark blue streaks, cut pixyish style, and crystal blue eyes, and the guy next to her had platinum blonde hair and eyes as blue as his partners. The girl was sitting with her back facing the guy, with her knees drawn up in front of her, and the guy was doing the same, and their heads were resting on each other's shoulders and they were talking softly to each other. They were Ami Mizuno and Quatre Winner. It was his house.  
  
Now, onto the pairs on the couches. One pair was a girl with raven hair that was the same length as the blonde, minus the bow, and had violet eyes, and the guy she was with had raven hair as well, but it was tied back in a restricting, no-nonsense ponytail that went to just past his collar-bone, and his eyes were coal black. The girl was sitting up back straight, at one end of the couch, and the guy was lying down with his head in the girls lap. They both had frowns on their faces as if they were arguing, but they both had a hint of amusement in their eyes, so their arguing wasn't too serious. Meet Rei Hino and Wufei Chang.  
  
The other pair included an ankle-length silvery-blonde with her hair up in two meatballs (odangoes) with eyes as blue as the other blonde, and the guy she was with had honey brown hair with one bang covering his one of his eyes, and the eye you could see was a deeper green than the brunette girl. He was sitting up, and the girl was lying with her head in his lap, he stroking her hair, and she staring into his eyes, since in that position, his bang didn't cover it. Meet Usagi Tsukino, known as Usa, and Trowa Barton.  
  
All ten of these people were friends. The five girls met before meeting the guys and the same with the guys. They were all best friends. But now, they were mostly bored, and doing the things there were doing because there was nothing else to do.  
  
Suddenly, Ami got off of the loveseat, and everyone's attention was on her, minus Quatre's. Even Mako and Heero's, both of them were probably just resting.  
  
She rolled her eyes and said, "Calm down. I'm just going to see if I can find something to do. And Quatre's coming with me."  
  
This earned laughs from some people who thought that they knew what they were going to do. Ignoring the laughs, she and Quatre, who had gotten up, went into another one of the rooms. It was the library. They both agreed that they should find a book to read, maybe out loud so that everybody else wouldn't be bored. Ami went to the fantasy section, and Quatre to the mystery section.  
  
Ami was just browsing when she saw a spine to the book that she had stored there a few months ago. She yelled, "Oh my god! I forgot that this was here! This'll be perfect!" Now she was specifically facing the mystery section. "Quatre! Quatre! Come over here!"  
  
Quatre came running over. "What?! What is it!?" Ami held up the book while stifling a laugh, and Quatre sighed. "I thought that there was something wrong. Ok, so what's this?" The title of the book said 'A Child's Treasury of Tales'. He raised an eyebrow.  
  
Ami saw the look and said, "This is one of my favourite books! It is also the favourite book of all the other girls! We love the pictures. And of all the princess stories, which there are *five*" she said meaningfully, "There is one that related to all of us, and the pictures look like us as well! So, we all signed our names on the beginning of the story that was most like us! So, can we bring it back and read it to everyone? Please?"  
  
Quatre looked at her, and even if he didn't want to read it, it was all right, because he could never say no to Ami, and it might be fun. "Alright. Lets bring the book back to the others." The thing was, the book was a little heavy, because it was thick, and had eight stories, so there were lots of pictures, with big print, so Quatre ended up carrying it half of the way there.  
  
When they got back, everybody looked up and the girls jumped up and squealed. Unfortunately for Wufei, that meant that he was pushed off the couch. He got up, glared, and Rei looked down with an apologetic glance.  
  
"I'm sorry Wufei! I didn't mean to knock you down. It's just that I was so excited over seeing that book again!" She reached down to help him get up. He pushed her arm away and pulled himself up.  
  
"Onna, you got all excited over a book of children's tales. And I have no idea why. Explain to me." So, Rei explained to Wufei the same way that Ami explained to Quatre, and it seemed the only reason she wasn't shouting was because she was excited over the book. "Alright onna. We'll read the book."  
  
So everyone settled back down, that meant all the girls were in their respective boyfriends arms on the article of furniture they were resting on before.  
  
"Alright." Ami started, "All these stories are retold by Lesley Young. We should start reading from the beginning of the book. That means you, Usa, get to read."  
  
"Oh goody! I love my fairytale! Well, here we go!"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Tenshi-Hotaru: Hey Y'all! I'm very sorry for ending this here, but it seemed like a good place to end, and I wanted to start the next chappie right off into the fairytales. So read and review! I'll probably update as soon as I get the next chappie done, which could range from a few days from now, to 2 weeks, so don't wait up. Ja! 


	2. Cinderella

Tenshi-Hotaru: Hey everybody! Oh My God!! School is almost here! Oh well, I have to get used to it somehow.  
  
~*Ok, I need to warn you, that this is *not at all* like the Disney version of these tales.*~  
  
I hope that you all will like this chappie, and please read and review. If you are here to see the disclaimer, I left it on the prologue, oh but, I also don't own Cinderella, or the characters, but I do own my copy of the book 'A Child's Treasury of Tales'. I'm just re-telling this. sort of. Thank you to all the lovely reviewers! Responses to reviews will be at the bottom of this page! Have fun reading!  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"Oh goody! I love my fairytale! Well, here we go!" She started rubbing her hands together and pushed the cover open.  
  
She gave a dreamy sigh and said, "Cinderella." (A/N: Who saw this coming before reading the authors note?) "Illustrated by Annabel Spenceley" She started reading right away.  
  
"'There was once a beautiful girl with golden hair and eyes as blue as the sky. She was very happy, until her mother became ill and died. Her father married again, but soon, he died too, and she was left with her stepmother and her two stepsisters.  
  
They were very ugly, bad-tampered girls' hey Rei! That's like you! But just the bad-tempered part" she laughed.  
  
Rei growled and almost lunged at her playfully, but Wufei held her back. To try to stop the oncoming play-fight, Trowa told Usa to start reading again.  
  
"As I was saying. 'They were very ugly, bad-tempered girls, and they were so jealous of her beauty that they made her wear an old grey dress and wooden clogs. "It's your job to scrub the house, clean out the fire and cook," they told her.  
  
She had to get up very early to fetch water from the well, and she spent all day on her hands and knees scrubbing, or making the meals.  
  
"Ugh! We don't like this stew!" "It's disgusting!" shouted her stepsisters, as they gobbled down the meals she made anyways. No matter what she did, it was never good enough. "Have you turned my mattress? There's a lump in it," said one. "Go and do it now!" "That's nothing! I found a feather in my pigeon pie!" said the other.  
  
They made their stepsister wash and iron their fine dresses and the ribbons in their hair. But even in her old grey dress, her eyes shone out like the blue sky and she made them look uglier than ever.  
  
At the end of a hard day, the girl had no warm bath to soak in or soft bed to sleep in. The poor girl huddled down beside the warm cinders of the fire, so she became known as Cinderella.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
One morning, Cinderella carried through a steaming pile of toast, trying hard not to drop it. The two stepsisters were sitting at the table waving large white cards with gold crowns on them, and they were pink with excitement.  
  
"There's a Grand Ball at the palace - and we're invited!" "The king has decided it's time for his son, the Prince, to choose a bride," said their mother. "He's asked all the girls in the land to the ball, so that they may choose one to be his wife." "Am I invited then?" asked Cinderella. "You?" screeched her stepmother, "in your rags, with smuts on your face?" and they all laughed so much that Cinderella rushed back to the kitchen and sobbed beside the fire.'"  
  
"Yep! That's Odango Atama! Always crying about something!" Rei butted in, obviously bent on revenge for Usa's earlier comment. Usa glared, but because of the heavy book in her lap, she couldn't lunge at Rei, so she decided to just glare and start reading again.  
  
"'Soon the night of the ball came.  
  
"Pull tighter!" said her stepsisters, as she laced them into their silk ball gowns. She curled their hair with iron tongs, heated in the fire. "Don't burn it!" they cried, "You're not making pastry now!"'" Usa held up her hand to stop any of Rei's oncoming comments, and glared for extra measure, and Rei shut her mouth.  
  
"'At last they were painted and powdered and covered in perfume. Cinderella couldn't help sneezing. "Stop that!" they shouted. "You're only sneezing because you're jealous. Go and see if our carriage is there yet, and make us a snack for the journey."  
  
Their mother appeared wearing bright blue silk, with feathers in her hair, looking like a plump, red-faced peacock. She beckoned to her daughters, then they all swept off in their carriage and, after all the hurry and fuss, Cinderella was quite alone.  
  
She cleared up the powder and perfume and anything else, and went back to the kitchen, but she was too sad to eat her scraps of bread and cheese. (In the background: Odango would never pass up a meal says Rei) She opened the door and threw the bread out for the birds as she did every night. There was already a pale watery moon in the sky. As she stood looking up at it, Cinderella wished with all her heart that she, too, could go to the ball. (A/N: Does this seem familiar to anyone? With the moon and wishes and all?)  
  
Cinderella went back inside and sat down beside the kitchen fire and, as she thought about the grand ballroom and the handsome prince (A/N: that she's never seen before, mind you), a tear fell and sizzled on the grate.  
  
"Why are you crying?" asked a gentle voice behind her. "And what are you doing here when you should be at the ball?"  
  
Cinderella looked round and blinked. Then blinked again. A little old lady in a red cloak stood there, with a round smiling face, and a wand, which sparkled at the tip like a firefly. "How can I go to the ball," said Cinderella, "in theses rags? How can I dance in these heavy wooden clogs? You don't know how much I long to dance!"  
  
"Oh yes I do," said the old lady. "I am your fairy godmother," and she tapped Cinderella on the shoulder with the wand. At once Cinderella's rags vanished, and she was wearing a white silk ball gown that glittered with diamonds.  
  
She twirled round and the silk swished and rustled, leaving a trail of perfume that was so gentle that it almost wasn't there. It smelled like summer rain.'"  
  
"That perfume sounds just like how it smells now." Trowa cut in softly, while inhaling a little to prove his point. Usagi blushed and thanked him.  
  
"Ok. Continuing. 'Cinderella's feet felt as light as air, and when she looked down, she saw beautiful glass slippers, twinkling in the firelight.  
  
"Now you will go to the ball," said the fairy godmother. "But there is no carriage to take me," said Cinderella.  
  
The old lady looked round the kitchen. She picked up an apple and looked at it carefully. "No. Wait a minute, do you see that big pumpkin?" she said pointing to the vegetable basket. "Help me carry it out into the garden."  
  
She tapped it with her wand and, as Cinderella stared, it changed before her eyes into a glass coach that sparkled like ice. But what use was a glass coach with no horses?  
  
Six fieldmice crouched nearby, dazzled by the shiny coach. The old lady tapped them lightly, one by one on their ears. They disappeared and in their place stood six white horses, tossing their manes in the night air.  
  
"You need footmen - one to drive, and one to ride behind and make sure you arrive safely," said the old lady. She lifted a large leaf with her wand, and two frogs peeped out. When she tapped them with the wand, they vanished to be replaced by two footmen with white wigs and bulging eyes. "Look after your mistress," she said. "We will," they croaked.  
  
"Now, off you go to the ball," said the fairy godmother. "But listen carefully ad don't ever forget this - you must leave the palace before midnight. At the last stroke of Twelve, all your fine clothes will disappear and you will be back in your old grey rags." Cinderella promised, and thanked her with tears in her eyes as she climbed into the coach. "Oh, thank you again!" she shouted through the window, as the glass coach swept off in a cloud of dust.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
At the palace, the ballroom blazed with the light from hundreds of candles. When Cinderella appeared at the top of the staircase, everyone stopped dancing and stared at her (in the background: think of that pressure says Mina), wondering who the beautiful young stranger was. The band stopped playing and the Prince looked round to see what was happening. "I think that she must be a foreign princess," sniffed one of her stepsisters, never dreaming that this was Cinderella.  
  
The Prince at once ran up the stairs, took her hands in his, and asked her to dance. As the music struck up again, and she was swept off in his arms, Cinderella felt that all her dreams had come true.  
  
She had never learned to dance, but the glass slippers seemed to make it very easy and she felt as if she were floating on air. All evening, the Prince danced only with her. When others came up to ask her to dance, he held her hands tightly in his own and said, "No. This is my partner."  
  
The Prince took her in to supper, and she ate a water ice (A/N: Does anyone actually know what that is? If so, tell me in your review) that tasted like violets. At another table, she could see her stepsisters quarrelling over the last cherry in a bowl of ice cream. As she watched, her stepmother reached over and ate it herself. But Cinderella was too excited to eat very much.  
  
The Prince led her off again into the music. As they danced, he leaned down and said, "Did you know that your eyes are just like the sky?" When he whispered in her ear, "Will you be my princess?" Cinderella felt like she could dance with him forever. But then she was startled by a loud noise that sounded like a gong. (A/N: Wonder what that could be)  
  
"What's that?" "Don't worry," laughed the Prince, "it's only the palace clock striking midnight, although it seems only seconds since we met." "Midnight!" cried Cinderella, and she broke away from him and rushed out of the ballroom.  
  
The guests drew back on either side to let her through, and the Prince ran after her, but she raced like the wind down the steps. (In the background: Now that sounds more like Haruka than Usa says Mako) "Quick!" shouted the Prince. "Find her!" Footmen ran in all directions, looking for her, but she had vanished into the night. In fact, Cinderella had climbed into the palace dovecot to hide. The doves knew that she was kind and fed birds in the cold weather, and they didn't make a noise. They sat at the entrance, spreading their feathers and hiding Cinderella, and the footmen ran past and never thought to look inside. At last, Cinderella climbed down and run home, her silk dress replaced.  
  
But back at the palace, the Prince was holding something that sparkled in the moonlight. Cinderella had been in such a hurry that one of her glass slippers had fallen off and been left behind on the palace steps. The Prince held it up. "I have found my princess," he said. "She is the owner of this slipper."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
When her stepmother arrived back from the ball with her stepsisters, Cinderella was sitting in her old grey dress at her usual place beside the fire. "Quick! Undo our laces!" screeched the sisters, throwing themselves into chairs and easing off their shoes to rub their feet. "Bring me some tea!" said her stepmother, taking pins out of her hair. "So many people wanted to dance with us, we didn't have time to eat. What a ball! Isn't it a shame you'll never see such a thing? You can't imagine the dresses. And the jewels!" "Isn't the Prince wonderful to dance with?" said one of the sisters. "Oh, divine!" said the other, winking. "And there was a mysterious foreign princess," said their mother, pouring her tea into her saucer. "it's so exciting - just like a fairy tale."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The Prince carried the glass slipper with him everywhere. He couldn't sleep, and said he would not rest until he had found his princess again. Then he had an idea and he sent for two of his best footmen. "I want you to take this slipper and travel all over the land," he told them, "making sure that every girl in the country tries it on. I don't want to see you again until you have found the girl whose foot it fits." For six days the footmen rushed all over the country, to grand houses, farms and cottages. Every girl tried to make the slipper fit her. The girl in the dairy stopped churning butter and rubbed some on her foot, to try and make it slip inside. Grand ladies soaked their feet in hot perfumed water to see if they would shrink.  
  
On the seventh day, the footmen arrived at Cinderella's house. Her stepsisters rushed to try on the glass slipper. "I wondered where I'd lost that!" said one. "Don't be silly, you know it's mine," said the other. They huffed and puffed and (A/N: blew the house down! Lolz) screwed up their toes, but it was no use. They couldn't jam their feet into the dainty slipper. "Is there no one else in the house?" asked the footmen. "Only Cinderella," snorted the stepmother. "But she's just a servant, and she certainly doesn't go to balls." "The Prince said that every girl must try it on," said the footmen. "Let her try." The sisters went to the door of the kitchen, where Cinderella was peeling a huge mound of potatoes. "You're wanted in the drawing-room," they said, "but don't bother washing, you'll be back peeling potatoes in a minute."  
  
Cinderella went through, and a footman held out the glass slipper. She slipped her foot into it, and it fitted as if it had been made for her (A/N: which it probably was *rolls eyes*). Behind her, the ugly sisters gasped as she reached into a pocket in her old grey dress and pulled out the other glass slipper. It matched perfectly.  
  
"There must be some mistake," spluttered her stepmother. "There is no mistake," said the footmen. "This is our new princess - look how beautiful she is, with eyes like the sky." They took off their hats and bowed in front of Cinderella. "We have a gold coach outside," said one. "Will you come with us now to the palace?" Cinderella was still holding the potato knife. She handed it to one of her stepsisters, who took it as if it were a rose, and curtseyed. "Can we come, too?" They squealed, "We are her sisters."  
  
The footmen placed a cloak of sky blue silk over Cinderella's shoulders and said, "Hurry. The Prince is waiting." The stepsisters and their mother were left in the courtyard, their mouths hanging open, as Cinderella went off in her golden coach.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The Prince stood at the top of the Palace steps and held out his arms in welcome. Cinderella ran up the steps, and the doves flew beside her, holding up her cloak. "At last I have found my Princess," said the Prince, holding her to him, "and I'm never going to let you go this time." More invitations were sent out, this time to a royal wedding.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
In Cinderella's old home, her stepsisters had to make their own breakfast. "How can I make toast when you've let the fire go out?" snapped one. "Oh, do it yourself," said the other. "It's all your fault. If we'd been nicer to Cinderella, we would have been asked to the wedding."  
  
But then there was a knock at the door, and there stood a footman with a stiff white envelope. The stepsisters tore it open and found invitations to the royal wedding inside. Cinderella was so happy that she couldn't bear the thought of anyone being unhappy - even the stepsisters who had been so unkind to her. While they stared at the invitations, the sister with the unbaked bread let it hang from her hand, while the dog nibbled at it without her knowledge.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The palace cook made twenty different kinds of ice cream, and baked a cake that was big enough for everyone in the country to have a slice.'"  
  
"That means that there was enough to feed Usa and Duo alone for a few weeks." Rei commented.  
  
"Hey!" Usa and Duo exclaimed. "We don't eat that much!"  
  
"Whatever, just go back to reading Odango."  
  
"Fine! Just stop interrupting! ~clears throat~ 'On the morning of the wedding, the ballroom was filled with so many white lilies and rose trees, that it looked like a garden.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
At the wedding party, the Prince held Cinderella tightly and said, "You're not going to disappear at midnight again, are you?" (A/N: Lolz, imagine why he wouldn't want her to do that? Lolz, ~jk!) "Never," replied Cinderella, and she went to the top of the staircase and looked through the crowd until she spotted her stepsisters, clinging to each other sadly in a corner. Then she took her wedding bouquet of white roses and threw it down at them. They stretched up, caught it, and for a moment they didn't look ugly at all.  
  
Turning back to the Prince, Cinderella smiled and said, "Wouldn't it be lovely if everyone could live happily ever after - just like us?"'"  
  
"That was a great story!" Mako commented. "But there sure was a lot of white flowers, wasn't there, Usa? You'd probably like a wedding like that, wouldn't you?"  
  
Usagi blushed and said, "Sure, I'd love to get married like that. But there's a problem." Everyone looked at her expectantly. "I don't think that anyone would be willing to make a cake that big."  
  
Everyone burst out laughing. When they all calmed down, Trowa looked to the next page and said, "Ok, the next one is yours Mako."  
  
Trowa helped Usa pass the book to Rei, who was next to her, and then she had Wufei help her pass it to Mako.  
  
"I guess that I should start reading now, right?" After nods from everyone, she took a deep breath, trying to hold in her blush from everyone's attention on her. "Here we go."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
RubyRedDragon05: Here's the next chappie! Glad you like Rei/Wufei, *almost* everyone does! Lolz.  
  
S: Some people don't like the pairings, but that's ok.  
  
Anne: I'm not sure about the interesting part, that's for you to decide, but it is kinda new, and I'm glad that it's refreshing for you.  
  
Dark Emerald Flame: Ok! Is this soon enough? I agree, Mako/Heero are the best! I love the pairings too, lolz, that's why I did it! Here's Cinderella, want more? And, I know that this is kinda clueless, but what does rnrn mean? ^_^;  
  
Dr.Cricket: Ok, I've updated! And what do you mean, by 'or else'?  
  
Archangela: Yay! Thank you! Here's the next chappie! BTW, I like your name!  
  
baby-bunnygurl: I'm very happy that you liked the couples! And that you liked the plot, and think it's cute! I didn't really think it would be this reviewed!  
  
Firenze: Thx! And that just came out! Lolz.  
  
Firey of Jupiter: I'm very sorry that the couplings aren't the way you wanted them to be, but I'm sticking to them. Sry. Maybe you could write your own fic with Mako/Trowa?  
  
Zaeria: Now you know what fairytale Usa was going to read! Lolz! Update soon enough for you? Thx.  
  
angelicmayuka: Yay! It's interesting! Lolz, that's ok if you don't like one of the pairings, I don't really mention them much. *shrug* I will keep going!  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Tenshi-Hotaru: Hey everyone! Did you like this chappie? Well, the next one is for Mako. I'm not doing this in any specific order, I'm just writing this in the order I can flip the pages. First was Usa's, and then it was Mako's, next is. someone's. I won't tell you until I get there. So you'll have to wait. See ya next chappie! 


	3. Beauty and the Beast

Tenshi-Hotaru: Hey peeps! Lolz! Oh MY God!!!! Full School day starting tomorrow!!! I don't want to go!! ~is sad for a while~. That means that I won't update as often as I do. Oh well, I really hope that you like this chappie anyways! Read and Review! If you wanna see the disclaimer, then go to the prologue, 'cause it's hanging around there. I don't own Beauty and the Beast, or the characters, but I own my copy of 'A Child's Treasury of Tales'. Thanks to all the lovely reviewers! Responses to reviews will be at the bottom of the page. Have fun!  
  
"speaking" 'storytelling' (A/N:) author notes (In the background) One of the other nine people talking, meaning I'm too lazy to type the whole exchange ^_^;  
  
Chapter 2  
  
"Here we go." She looked at the page with unfocused eyes for a second, until Heero nudged her, and she jumped out of her trance. She blushed, "Oh, sorry."  
  
She sighed. "Beauty and the Beast, illustrated by Annabel Spenceley" She gave another sigh and started reading.  
  
"'There was once a very rich merchant, who lived in a huge, grand house with his three daughters. They were all very pretty, but the youngest daughter was the prettiest. She was always smiling, showing two dimples in her creamy skin, and her smile was so lovely she became known as Beauty.  
  
Her sisters sprawled about all day on silk couches, admiring themselves in mirrors, but Beauty had better things to do. She spent a lot of time visiting the old, poor people in the cottages nearby, and cheering them up.  
  
Lots of young men wanted to marry the sisters. The two oldest always refused because they were waiting for a duke or a prince. However, Beauty always thanked the young men, but she said she was too young to marry. "Also," she explained with a smile, "I want to stay at home and look after Father when he's old."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
One day at breakfast, a servant brought in a letter on a silver tray. The girls' father read it and went white as the tablecloth. "All my ships have been lost in a storm at sea. We are as poor as church mice now, so we must move to a small cottage and find what work we can." "Work?" snapped the eldest sister in horror, while the middle sister piled even more strawberry jam on her bread, in case she couldn't have any more for a while. "Don't worry, Father," said Beauty, going around to him and patting his forehead, "we'll be all right as long as we're all together." "Let's go to a ball tonight. Perhaps we can find a couple of rich men to marry us," said Beauty's sisters.  
  
But now that they were poor, no one wanted to marry them. "Where is Beauty? We would marry her tomorrow, because she would be sure to make us happy," all the young men said. The sisters were furious to hear this, and scowled so much that they looked quite cross and ugly (A/N: Wouldn't want wrinkles, would you? Lolz).  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
After a short time the merchant and his daughters had to move out of their grand house. They all went to live in a tiny cottage in the heart of the countryside. When they moved in, it was damp and unwelcoming. The two elder sisters hated their new home, and did nothing but complain bitterly. "How can we be expected to live in a place like this?" they moaned, huddling together beside a smoking fire.  
  
Beauty, however, tied on an apron and set to work. She painted the rooms and put flowers everywhere. She smiled so kindly at the woodcutter who lived down the lane, that he left bundles of wood for her. Soon she had good fires going in all the rooms, and the cottage was filled with the smell of baking bread. While she worked, she sang, and she managed to find things to make her happy.'"  
  
"That's our Mako-chan," said Usa.  
  
"Yeah," added Mina, "always happy, and cooking and cleaning a dreadful home is something she'd do! Home really is where Mako is!"  
  
"Umm Mina?" said Duo. "I think that you meant 'home is where the heart is', Mina dear."  
  
"Yes, yes, whatever Duo dear." Mina waved it off and giggled.  
  
"Can we get back to the story?" Heero asked, a little annoyed, but he'd never show it. Everyone stopped talking. "Mako?"  
  
"Ok." She cleared her throat. "'Her sisters lay in bed all morning and then sat around complaining, while Beauty was up with the birds to welcome her father downstairs with a cheery, "Fried mushrooms for breakfast! I found a real treasure trove of them in the wood." "You are my treasure now, Beauty," he would say, with tears in his sad old eyes.'"  
  
As Mako said this, Heero squeezed her shoulders and laid his head on her shoulder. She smiled and continued.  
  
"'They lived like this for a year. Then, one day, a messenger rode to the cottage and told the merchant that one of his ships had turned up. It had not been wrecked, after all, but had taken shelter in a far-off country, and had now finally arrived back at the port, filled with goods. "I must go down to the coast and sort things out," said the merchant. "Now, what will I bring you back?" "New dresses - at last!" said the elder sisters. "And face cream, and silk stockings, and precious gems, and perfume, and hats with feathers on them and." "What about you, Beauty?" asked her father. "You haven't asked for anything yet." "I would like a rose," said Beauty at once. "A beautiful pink rose."'"  
  
"Wait-a-minute!" Duo said. "Aren't pink roses Mako's favourite flowers?" He looked from the girls to Heero and back.  
  
"Of course!" Ami answered. "This is one of the reasons she liked them!"  
  
Mako absently fingered her rose earrings that Heero had given her (A/N: Heero didn't actually give them to her in the anime, but I don't know where she got them, and this seems appropriate, and I like it.).  
  
"Ok, can I get back to the story now?" She looked round and everybody nodded. "Thank you. 'The merchant was away for a long time, but at last he set out for home, loaded down with presents for his daughters. He had found everything on their list except for a rose, and it was now winter so nothing was growing except thorn bushes.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The merchant was not far from home, when suddenly a great snowstorm blew up and swirled round him. The snow was so thick that his horse could hardly see where it was going. The merchant rode along, the snow settling thickly on his hat. He hoped he would soon find a house where he could seek shelter. In the distance he could hear hungry wolves howling, which made him anxious, and he urged his horse on.  
  
At last, just when he thought he could go no farther, the merchant saw a light shining dimly through the snowflakes and he rode toward it. He was amazed to find that the light was pouring out of the windows of a splendid palace. The merchant knocked on the door, but no one answered. His horse was tired out, so he put it in the empty stables, where he found fresh water and oats waiting. Then the merchant trudged back through the deep snow to the palace, and pushed the heavy door, which creaked slowly open.  
  
"Hello?" called the merchant, but there was no answer, so he walked through the hall into a large room with a roaring fire. There was a wonderful smell of roast chicken, and he saw a table, set for one with golden plates and knives and forks. The merchant took off his wet coat and hat and wandered over to the table, where a large roast chicken glistened in the firelight. "I'm sure whomever lives here won't mind if I sit down," he thought. So he sat at the table and waited. And waited. When the gold clock on the wall struck eleven, the merchant could stand it no longer. He grabbed the roast chicken, which was still hot and moist, and tore it into pieces and began eating. He had never tasted anything as good. There were plated of roast potatoes, crispy onion rings, and peas that tasted as if they were just out of the garden, even though it was winter (A/N: Man, it's almost dinner time when I'm writing this, and I'm getting hungry just reading this off of the book). When he had washed all the food down with some good red wine, the merchant noticed a silver bowl of strawberries and cream on the table. "I could have sworn that wasn't there a moment ago," he said to himself, before he ate them. The strawberries were the reddest and ripest he had ever eaten, and tasted delicious.  
  
By now the merchant was feeling very sleepy. He set out to explore the palace, making his way through many grand rooms. At last he came to a room with a fire glowing in the fireplace and a canopy bed with the covers turned down. Without thinking, the merchant took off his clothes (In the background: Eeeww! Mental image! Mental image! Says Mina, laughs by everyone else) and slipped between the sheets, which were crisply laundered and smelled of lavender. At once he was fast asleep.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Cock-a-doodle-do!"'"  
  
That said by Mako, she stifled a giggle and effectively got the attention of everybody who wasn't paying attention before, because this part didn't have one of the main characters. She continued as if nothing happened.  
  
"'The merchant woke with a start and sat up in bed. The sun was streaming into the room, and he jumped up and looked out of the window.  
  
He rubbed his eyes. Was he still asleep and dreaming? The merchant looked down on a garden that was in full, summer bloom. All the snow had vanished, and instead there were huge beds of roses, and grass as green as emeralds. (A/N: hint hint - Mako's eyes! Lolz, this is all in the book!)  
  
His old, travel-stained clothes had gone, and there was a new suit of clothes laid out in front of the fire. He washed with a jug of hot water that was steaming in front of a mirror, and dressed in the new clothes, which fitted him perfectly.  
  
Back in the dining hall, the foods he liked best were heaped in silver dishes: juicy sausages, fluffy scrambled eggs, muffins that melted in his mouth and a pot of hot chocolate. He ate his fill, and stood up to leave. "Whoever you are, thank you!" he shouted before he went off to saddle up his horse.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The merchant was leading his horse out through the beautiful garden, when he remembered his promise to bring back a rose for Beauty. "The garden is full of roses," he said to himself, "and the owner of the house has been so generous, he will not miss just one." So the merchant stopped and picked the largest, pinkest rose he could see.  
  
At once there was a huge roar, and a beast appeared in front of him. It was so horrible to look at that the merchant almost fainted. "So this is the thanks I get!" roared the beast, "I give you shelter from the storm, I feed you and lay out new clothes, and what do you do?" The merchant trembled. "You steal the things I love most - my roses. Well, for that you will die." "I. I only wanted one rose as a present for the thing I love most - my daughter, Beauty," stammered the merchant. "Is there nothing I can do to save my life?" "Nothing," roared the beast, "unless, that is, you promise to return, bringing with you the first thing that greets you when you get home." When he heard that, the merchant smiled with relief. He had a little black dog that was always first to run out to meet him when he came home after a long journey. So he agreed, put the rose carefully in his hat, and quickly set off home.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Beauty was shaking a quilt out of a bedroom window in the cottage, when she saw her father riding in the distance, with the rose in his hat bobbing up and down. "I don't believe it - he's found a pink rose!" she cried, and she rushed out of the cottage and ran down to the front door to meet him. The little black dog, meanwhile, was dozing in front of the fire (A/N: As if the dog would have really greeted him first).  
  
"My dear daughter," said her father to Beauty. "I have paid a dreadful price for this rose." And he told her how he had promised to send the beast the first thing that met him. "Don't worry, Father," said Beauty, "I will gladly go. The beast can't be as bad as you say, and perhaps he will let me come home if I ask him kindly."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The next day, Beauty and her father were both red-eyed and tired, because neither of them had slept a wink. "It's no good, you have to keep your promise," said Beauty, "But I'm sure it will work out for the best." "Yes - off you go," said her sisters, who were busy trying on the fine dresses their father had brought home for them. So Beauty and her father galloped off through the bare and chilly countryside. Both their horses seemed to know the way to the beast's castle, as if they had been there many times before.  
  
As soon as Beauty and her father rode into the palace grounds, they were surrounded by summer blooms and lush rose bushes. "It's magic!" said Beauty, her eyes shining. "All these roses - in the middle of winter. I can hardly believe it." They tied up their horses and went inside the palace. In the dining hall, there were now two places set, and a delicious meal was waiting for them under silver covers. "Come, Father," said Beauty bravely, "I will eat if you will."  
  
They were just finishing large, ripe peaches that tasted of honey, when there was a terrifying roar outside the door, which grew louder and louder. Beauty dropped her peach and stared at the door, which opened very slowly. There stood the beast - looking even more horrific than her father had described. He had put on his best clothes of a red velvet cloak and a white lace collar, but these only made him look even more ugly. He sat down beside them at the table and said, "So this is the Beauty for whom you picked my rose?" "It is." Said the merchant sadly, "she ran to meet me when I went home, but has insisted on coming back with me." "I am glad that you did," said the beast to Beauty, and she was surprised to hear that his voice was soft and gentle. "You must leave in the morning," said the beast to Beauty's father. "Rest assured your daughter will be quite safe with me."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The next day, Beauty's father left her and rode sadly home. Beauty spent the day walking in the grounds among the sweet smelling roses. After dinner, she was sitting in her room when there was a knock at the door. "May I come in?" asked the beast. "Of course," said Beauty, pulling another chair up to the fire. The beast spoke so kindly to her, that when she looked into the flames, she quite forgot how ugly he was.  
  
The next night, he came to her room again. "Help yourself to the peaches and grapes that grow in my garden," he said, and his voice was kinder than ever. On the third night, the beast brought Beauty a large bunch of pink roses. "Oh, how lovely!" she gasped. "Will you marry me?" asked the beast, sinking to his knees. "I can't, my dear beast," replied Beauty. "Then I will surely die," said the beast. Two large tears rolled down the beast's ugly face, and he left the room.  
  
Beauty soon discovered that the mirror in her room was magic. Sometimes she saw herself when she looked in it, and sometimes she saw a picture of other people and things that were happening somewhere else.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
One day, she looked in the magic mirror and saw her poor father lying on his bed, looking very ill. She also saw her sisters in another room. They were happily curling each other's hair and laughing. They seemed to have quite forgotten their poor sick father. When the beast came to her room that night, Beauty was very sad and told him what she had seen. "I must go home and look after him," she said. "If I don't, he will surely die." "And what about me?" asked the beast. But when Beauty began to cry, he agreed to let her go home for a week, as long as she promised to come back to him when the time was up.  
  
The best gave Beauty a special pink rose and said, "Hold this rose and wish, and it will take you wherever you choose. It will also bring you back to me, so don't forget your promise." He left her, with a swish of his cloak, and Beauty at once wished herself back in her father's cottage.  
  
She was just in time. Her father was very ill, but as soon as he saw Beauty he felt better. She made him a soup with special herbs that she had brought from the beast's garden, and he felt his strength come flooding back. "Who does she think she is?" said her sisters crossly. "Fresh herbs at this time of year indeed, while we have to make do with old turnips!"  
  
The sisters grew very jealous when Beauty described the beast's palace, with its wonderful rose garden and gold plates. "I suppose our wooden bowls are not good enough for you now?" they jeered. When the week was almost up, the sisters hatched a plan. "Why should we have to slave away here, while she wanders about in her magic garden eating grapes? We'll stop her leaving, and then we'll see if her precious beast comes to get her," said one of the sisters. "Oh, how exciting!" said the other. So the two sisters pretended to be very fond of Beauty, and showered her with hugs and kisses. "If you leave now, we're sure Father will become ill again," they said, and they went into the kitchen and sniffed onions to make themselves cry. "We can't bear to think of you going back to that beast," they howled. Beauty was so softhearted and kind that she agreed to stay for another week. "Then I really must go back," she said, "because I promised." She was rather surprised to find just how much she missed the beast, and their talks every evening by the fire.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
At the end of the second week, Beauty kissed her father and told him not to worry. "I am not frightened of the beast now," she said. "I know he would never do me any harm." Her sisters were bored with waiting for the beast to come roaring up to the cottage, and didn't try to make Beauty stay any longer. Beauty held the pink rose in her hand and wished herself back in her room in the beast's palace.  
  
It was evening, and she waited for the beast to come, as usual, to talk to her, but he never came. Beauty spent a sleepless night, tossing and turning, and in the morning she set out to look for the beast.  
  
Beauty looked in all the rooms in the palace, but there was no sign of him, so she went out into the garden. All the roses were covered in dew that sparkled with rainbows as she walked in her bare feet on the cool grass. "Dear beast, where are you?" called Beauty. At the very edge of the garden, where the grass changed into the winter countryside, Beauty saw the beast, lying on the ground. "He is dead," she thought. "I broke my promise and I have killed him." She knelt down, took his rough hairy hand, with its long claws, in her hands, and began to cry.  
  
When her tears fell on his face, the beast opened his eyes and looked up at her. "You forgot your promise to me, Beauty, and now I must die," he sighed (A/N: Wow, he's really suicidal. Remind you of anyone? *wink wink* hint hint). "No," cried Beauty through her sobs, "What can I do to save you." "Will you marry me?" asked the beast for the second time. "I will," replied Beauty at once.  
  
There was a bright flash of light, the beast vanished, and in front of Beauty stood a handsome prince. "Where is my beast?" she asked, looking round. "Here he is," laughed the prince, holding out his arms. "A wicked witch put a spell on me, turning me into a beast until a beautiful girl agreed to marry me. You saw beneath my ugly disguise, and you have saved me."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The prince sent a gold carriage to fetch Beauty's father and sisters for the wedding. So Beauty and her gentle prince were married, and, for the first time in years, the palace was filled with flowers and laughter. After the wedding feast, Beauty's two sisters could be seen, scurrying around the garden bending over and carefully examining each rose bush. "What on earth are they doing?" asked the prince. "I think they are looking for a magic rose to wish for their own prince," said Beauty smiling, "but magic like this could surely only happen once in a lifetime."'" Mako sighed.  
  
Mina laughed. "If I didn't have my prince charming, than I would probably be examining the roses as well!" Everyone laughed at this, and Duo hugged Mina close to him.  
  
"Who's next?" asked Quatre.  
  
Heero took a glance at the signature on the next page and said, "Mina."  
  
So, Mako, with the minimal help of Heero, helped pass the book over to Mina.  
  
"Ok! I just love this fairytale!" she giggled. "Want me to start reading now?" she asked. Everyone nodded. "Alright!"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
S: Aww happiness! Lolz, now you know what Mako's fairy tale is!  
  
angelicmayuka: Yes, sometimes I update quickly, sometimes I take forever. Depends on my mood. or a plan. ^_~ I didn't say that you disliked all the pairings, did I? Just one of them ^_^; well, you just think that one is better, that's ok, you were politer than someone shouting at me. :)  
  
Dr.Cricket: Yay! You like it! I'm aiming to please! Well, mostly. ^_~ Wow, possessed kitties? I'm impressed. All *I* had was possessed birds! And my 'rents got rid of 'em. ~pout~  
  
SailorWaterfallz: Hey thanks! On both accounts! I always wanted to know!  
  
Zaeria: Thinking naughty? About fairytales? We-ell. I guess that I must've done that at the end. with the "you won't leave at midnight, will you?", right? Lolz, well, I'm sorry about that (most likely not) but at least. I forgot what I was going to say, but it would've worked with the sentence. Lolz.  
  
Firenze: Maybe, maybe not, lolz. Now you know what Mako's is!  
  
Bunny-chan13: thx, is this soon enough? Lolz.  
  
RubyRedDragon05: Yay! I got a kewlio! Lolz. Now you know!  
  
Tigeress Moon: Now you know. :P  
  
kimeno-pebols: sorry that it wasn't "The little mermaid". That story isn't in the book at all! Well, keep reading!  
  
Dark Emerald Flame: Hey girl! Yay! Glad you like it! Lolz, updated soon enough? Well, I don't know if I know any Mako/Sirius fics, but I might write one in like a year or something :P  
  
Archangela: Well, I don't know whether people would have thought of it or not, but, eh. Lolz, I personally have never smelled moonflowers, so I couldn't say anything, but if it were light, then sure! Lolz. Now, I guess its ON TO MINA-CHAN'S!! Lolz!  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Tenshi-Hotaru: Hey! Didja like the chappie? You know what? I have just realized that the reviews for this story mostly come after eight o'clock pacific time. Isn't that weird? Well, that's usually the time it comes here in BC, Canada. Well, I'm off to write the next chappie! Mina's! Try to guess which fairy tale Mina will be reading! It'll be fun, and I want to see who gets it right! Ja! 


	4. Sleeping Beauty

Tenshi-Hotaru: Hey everybody! School suxs, doesn't it? I felt so sad the first week, because I went to a school, and all the people I knew from my Middle School went to another. So I knew nobody! I was all alone! :'( And there is so much work! *pout* Well, not anymore, so I should stop whining and just get on with the story. :D If you are here to see the disclaimer, go back to chappie one. I also don't own Sleeping Beauty, or any of the characters. Thank you to all the reviewers, they make me feel better. So plz read and review, and responses to the reviews are at the bottom. Thx. This book smells so good! Lolz.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
"Alright!" Mina flipped the page that separated 'Beauty and the Beast' and her own fairytale, and started reading.  
  
"Sleeping Beauty. Illustrated by Jenny Press. 'Many years ago, a king and queen lived in a large and magnificent white castle which had many tall towers and turrets. The king and queen had almost everything they could wish for, but still they were not happy. The one thing they wished for the most, they could not have and that was a child of their own. "How I wish we had a prince or princess to play hide and seek with among the apple trees," they sighed in the spring. "Wouldn't it be lovely to have a child to build a snowman for?" they said in the winter.  
  
One summer day the queen was soaking in her large silver bathtub, which was beside an open window. Suddenly a green frog jumped in through the window and landed with a splash in her bath. "Help!" screamed the queen. But the frog croaked, "Don't be frightened. Before a year is past, a princess will be born who will be as beautiful as I am ugly."  
  
The frog was right. Soon the queen had a princess who was so beautiful that the king cried tears of joy and said, "She was well worth waiting for." The king decided to give a huge feast for all his family and friends, to celebrate the baby's birth. "Don't forget to invite the fairies," said the queen. "You know that they can bring magic gifts, and they will bless our princess with luck and happiness."  
  
There were thirteen fairies in the kingdom, but the king only had twelve gold plates. Everyone knew that fairies only ate off of golden plates, so he only sent out twelve invitations. The thirteenth fairy was old and stooped, and the king thought she would be glad to rest at home. "We will send her some cake after the feast," he said.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The day of the party came, and the palace cooks prepared a wonderful feast with heaps and heaps of chickens and hams and mountains of roast potatoes. The pastry chef baked a huge cake with pink icing'" she said.  
  
"Ooooh! Just think of all that food!" Usa said, while a dreamy expression appeared on her face.  
  
"Yeah!" added Duo. "All that food for a single birth! If we ever got that much food, it would be for all our birthdays put together!" And he started drooling.  
  
"Hey Duo! I'm kind of in front of you right now! I don't want your drool in my hair! Or my bow!" Mina said.  
  
"Whoops! Sorry. Continue with the story." Duo stopped drooling, wiped his mouth and chin, and laid his chin on Mina's head.  
  
"Alright. 'After everyone had eaten, the fairies went up, one by one, to the princess's cradle to give her their presents. "I give her the gift of laughter," said one, "so that she will never be sad for long." "I give her the gift of a lovely voice," said another, "so that when she speaks, it will sound like music." "I give her the gift of goodness," said a sensible-looking fairy, "so that she will not be loved for her beauty alone."'"  
  
"Oh my god! I just realized how much this was like Mina! I mean, she's always happy. well kind of like me, but almost more so, and she loves to sing, and is good at it, and she's so nice!" said Usa. There were murmurs of assent from the other girls and Duo laughed and gave Mina a hug from behind. "All the better for her to sing me to sleep!" he said, and everyone laughed, save for Trowa and Heero, who only smirked.  
  
"Can I finish this? Ok. 'Eleven fairies had given their presents, and the king and queen were glowing with pride, when suddenly the doors of the banquet hall flew open and everyone gasped.  
  
Suddenly, into the room hobbled the oldest fairy, dressed in a black cloak, and shuffling along with the help of a cane. "So you didn't bother to ask me?" she cackled bitterly, "Well, I came anyway. And of course I too have brought the princess a magic gift." Then, the oldest fairy hobbled over to the cradle and pointed a long bony finger down at the baby. "When you are sixteen," she cursed, "you will prick your finger on a spindle and fall down dead!" Then she turned, and before anyone could speak, she was gone from the room. All the guests were speechless with shock, and the queen burst into tears.  
  
But everyone had forgotten the twelfth fairy. She had not yet made her gift, and now she stepped forward. "I can't wipe out another fairy's magic spell," she said, and the queen sobbed more loudly, (A/N: when I read this, I get a mental image of someone lying on the ground just wailing, and it seems really comical, but the picture just looks like she's sobbing softly. o well :D) "but I can help a little. The princess will prick her finger on a spindle, but instead of dying, she will fall into a deep sleep that will last for a hundred years."  
  
The king did everything he could to try and escape the curse on his beloved daughter. He made a law that all spindles were banned from his kingdom, and they were all gathered up and thrown on a huge bonfire. Posters were stuck everywhere warning that anyone found with a spindle would spend the rest of their days locked in the deepest dungeon in the king's castle. The princess grew up to be beautiful, happy and good, and the king and queen tried to forget about the terrible curse.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
On the princess's sixteenth birthday, everyone was busy preparing for her party. She looked into the ballroom, and the maids screeched, "Go away! We're decorating the walls!" She went into the greenhouse, and the gardeners shouted, "Go away, the flowers are supposed to be a surprise!" The princess loved running down to the kitchen for a slice of bread warm from the oven, with honey. The servants were always glad to see her, because she was kind to everyone, but today they said, "Go away! For heaven's sake, you might have seen your birthday cake!" Everywhere the princess went, people said, "Go away. It's a surprise!"  
  
The king and queen had driven off in their carriage to find a small, golden puppy they were going to give her. At last, the princess was so bored, that she decided to explore some parts of the castle where she had never been. She looked in dusty rooms and along hallways with creaky floorboards. Suddenly, she came to a narrow, winding staircase that she had never seen before. "I wonder where that leads," she thought. (In the back: sarcastically "I wonder where that leads" 'jeez, doesn't she know that curiosity kills the cat?' Rei. And Mina glares at her) She climbed the stairs and cobwebs brushed against her golden hair. (In the back: 'Eww! Spiders!' Usa)  
  
At the top of the stairs was a thick, wooden door, and from behind it came singing and a strange, whirring noise. The princess opened the door and went in. A little old woman was sitting at a spinning wheel, singing and holding something pink and fluffy. Her spindle moved as fast as the wind, its point catching light from the window. "What are you doing?" asked the princess. "I'm spinning some fine pink silk," said the woman. "Oh, how clever!" said the princess, watching the spindle going backward sand forwards. "What a clever machine. Can I try?" She reached out her hand. As soon as she touched the spindle, she pricked her finger and fell on to the pile of silk in a deep, deep sleep.  
  
The sleep spread over the castle like molasses. (A/N: I learned what molasses was from this story.:D) The king and queen, who had just come home, fell asleep with its head under its front paws. The men and women of the court fell asleep where they sat, their drinks at their elbows.  
  
The wind dropped, and the flags on the turrets stopped fluttering. It was as if the whole castle held its breath. A thick hedge of sharp thorns began to grow all around the castle walls. Every year it grew some more, until the whole castle was hidden, even to the tip of its highest flagpole.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
One bright young morning, a handsome young prince came riding into the kingdom. "Where is the magic castle with the beautiful princess?" he asked. "My grandfather has told me all about her, and I am here to rescue her." Everyone laughed at him. "We have heard that story, too," they said. "There have been other princes who have come here. They have tried to cut their way through the hedge, but they have all been trapped in the thorns and left to die."  
  
One of the good fairies heard that the prince had arrived in the kingdom, and was asking everyone where the castle was. She was very worried, because the hundred years would not be over until the next day. She knew that if the prince tried to cut through the hedge he, too, would be trapped in the sharp thorns. So, the good fairy thought of a plan that would slow down the prince's journey, and also let her know if he was as good as he was handsome.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The prince was riding along a road when he came upon an old man trying to cut down a tree. He was huffing and puffing (A/N: and trying to blow the tree down. Lolz.) and could hardly swing his axe. The prince got off his horse and tied it to a tree. "Can I be of help, old man?" he called, striding over. "My fire has gone out and I am too old and weak to cut any wood," said the old man, who was really the fairy in disguise. "Stand aside!" said the prince, and he took the axe and cut down the tree. Then he chopped it into firewood and stacked it in front of the old man's cottage. "Thank you," said the old man. "Good luck will follow your kindness." "I hope so," said the prince. "I am looking for the castle with the sleeping princess," and he rode on his way.  
  
Next, the fairy turned herself into a cat and jumped down to the bottom of an empty well. The prince was riding along; when he suddenly felt so tired that he got off his horse and sat down to rest beside the well. He took some bread and cheese out of his saddlebag, and had just begun to eat when he heard a faint, mewing noise. He looked all around, but could see nothing. At last, he traced the sound to the old well. Looking over the rim, he saw a black and white cat, looking very sorry for itself, at the bottom of the well. "If I leave it there, it will surely starve to death," he said. The prince looked around for some rope, but could see none. In the field beside him, there grew some long, tough grass. The prince cut a good bunch of it with his sword, and braided them into a rope. Then he tied the rope to the end of his horse's tail and backed the horse up to the edge of the well. He dropped the rope down until it reached the bottom and called down, "Grab onto the grass with your claws, little cat, and hold on tight. We'll soon have you out." The cat gripped the grass rope, the prince led the horse forward from the well, and the cat was pulled up. "There we are," he said, setting it free. The cat purred, and the prince could almost have sworn that it said, "Good luck."  
  
The prince rode on. There was still no sign of the hedge of thorns, and he could see no one to ask. Suddenly, in front of him on the road, he saw an old woman, struggling with a huge heavy bundle. "Can I help you?" called down the prince from his horse. "I have to get my bundle home before nightfall," said the old woman, "but it seems to growing heavier at every step." "Do you live near here?" asked the prince. "I live at the very end of that path, in the middle of nowhere," she said, pointing down the dusty lane. It was surely out of the prince's way, but he said, "Come up behind me on my good horse, and I will speed you home." He reached down and helped her up. Then he hoisted (A/N lolz, hoisted, that's such a funny word! Lolz, sry) the bundle up in front of him and set forth, and at every stride the horse took, the weight of the old woman and the bundle seemed to grow lighter and lighter. (A/N: In the pic here, she's looking at him with something like adoration, and it looks so creepy.) At last they reached her old, rundown cottage, just as night was falling.  
  
"I am looking for the hedge of thorns, and the castle with the beautiful, sleeping princess," explained the prince as he helped the old woman dismount from his horse. "Stay here tonight," said the old woman. "You can't travel in the dark. I'm afraid I can only give you a mattress on the floor and some stew." The prince was not proud, but he stayed the night anyways. He was surprised to find that the stew was the best food he had ever tasted, and the mattress felt as soft as a feather bed.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
In the morning, the old woman, who was, of course, the fairy, thanked him. (A/N: There are so many commas in this sentence!!) "Turn right at the end of the path," she told him. "Good luck will follow your kindness."  
  
The prince did as she said, and there, right in front of him, rose a thick hedge of thorns. "How strange," he thought. "I'm sure I would have noticed this yesterday (A/N: Ha! That's what *you* think! Lolz, ill stop now)." At that very moment, the hundred years had just finished. He rode on his horse to the hedge of thorns and as he trotted up, it burst into blossom before his very eyes. A path opened up in the hedge and he was able to rife through, the blossom waving all around him. At last he had found the castle.  
  
The prince got off his horse and marched up to the castle. In the yard, he saw horses sleeping standing up and cats curled up like fat, soft cushions. In the hall he found the king and queen, fast asleep on the floor beside the puppy. He explored some more and found all the men and women of the court slumped in their chairs, fast asleep. He clattered, in his silver spurs, down to the kitchens. There was the cook fast asleep with her mouth open and the kitchen boy sleeping with a worried look on his face. A kitchen maid was sitting; sound asleep, holding a chicken that was half- plucked.  
  
The prince looked in all the bedrooms but, of course, they were empty because it was morning when the sleep had crept over the entire castle. "I will search every corner until I find the princess!" he said, and his voice echoed from the silent, stone walls - the first sound in a hundred years. (A/N guess they aren't counting the clinking of his spurs... lolz, sry) At last the prince found the winding staircase that led to the highest turret. He climbed it and pushed open the creaky, heavy door. Inside lay the princess, beautiful as ever, with a slight smile on her lips as if she were dreaming. The prince, who had never seen anything as lovely, did not stop to think. He kneeled down beside her and kissed her gently. At the touch of his lips, the princess woke up, stretched her arms above her head, and smiled at him.  
  
"I've had such a lovely long sleep," she said, "I wouldn't be surprised if it was nearly dinner time. Shall we go and see?" The prince and princess went downstairs hand in hand, and found the king and queen waking up. The puppy woke up and began to bark. The people at court woke up and finished their drinks. The cook woke up and scolded the kitchen boy. The fire leapt up again and the meat turned on its spit. The kitchen maid woke up and continued plucking the chicken. Out in the yard the horses woke up and shook their manes. The grooms woke up and the cats woke and stretched. The flies crawled up the walls and the spiders scurried in corners. The princess led the prince down to meet her parents. "Happy birthday!" they said to her. The princess held out the prince's hand. "I have had the loveliest dream," she said, "and look at the wonderful birthday present I woke up to find!"  
  
The castle door opened, and there stood the old woman the prince had helped the day before. "What are you doing here?" he asked. At that moment, the old woman changed back into the good fairy and said, "The hundred years are up. The spell is broken!" The king and queen gasped with joy and when the prince asked if he could marry their daughter, they agreed at once. "Instead of a birthday party, we will have a wedding!" they said happily.  
  
As word spread through the castle that the spell was broken, everyone began to dance wildly with one another and cheer. But the prince looked into the princess's lovely eyes and said joyfully, "For us, the magic is only beginning."'" Mina sighed and snuggled closer to Duo.  
  
"You know what I can't understand?" Ami said. Everyone looked questionably at her. "Is why they didn't just destroy all of them at once, except one, and then show it to her when she gets older, tell her not to touch it, and explain to her why, so she doesn't feel the need to disobey her parents or something."  
  
"Ami?" asked Rei.  
  
"Yes, Rei?"  
  
But it was Mako who answered with a smirk. "You think too into these things."  
  
After everyone had a good laugh, Quatre asked, "So who's is next?"  
  
"Let's see" said Duo, and he flipped the page. "It's all yours Rei."  
  
"Ok, but my princess isn't really shown in here much.the male is the main character."  
  
"That's alright, Rei. It's still a good story." Reassured Mina.  
  
"Ok, pass it over."  
  
Mina had Duo help her pass it over to Heero and Mako, and they passed it to Rei and Wufei. Rei got comfortable with the book in her lap, and flipped the page.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
RubyRedDragon05: Lolz, yeah, that's the version that most people have, and I warned you that this was not the Disney version! You know what? You guessed them all right! It wasn't really all the hard, but. I dunno, I forgot what I was going to say ^_^; Updated!  
  
Zaeria: Well, you were right about the Sleeping Beauty part, but I already told you that this is NOT AT ALL like the Disney versions! Skool is getting better! Updated!  
  
Archangela: You are in luck! It is. was, Sleeping Beauty! Lolz! You know what? There is absolutely *no* Little Mermaid in this book! I was so shocked! And, I am *not* going to do any Disney versions! And I would never have one of these fairy tales have a sad ending!  
  
Tigeress Moon: Well, you were right. It was Sleeping Beauty. Lolz, I'm just so giddy today, for some reason!  
  
Rose: All right! I've updated! Lolz, and you were right!  
  
Ceso: Here is Mina's! Next is Rei's! Of course I was happy typing! Lolz! Thanks!  
  
SailorStar9: I'm glad you think that it's cute, but Ami's won't be until the very end! I'm sorry! I'm just going in the order that I flip the pages.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Tenshi-Hotaru: Hey guys! Know what? I'm thinking of changing my login name. whaddya think? Should I or shouldn't I? Ok, I'm gonna start a little poll, I said there was eight stories in this book, but this is mainly about the scouts, but should I have the other three stories in here as well? The stories are: Red Riding Hood, I love the pictures on this one, and the plot- thing, cause its different, and it's probably my fave in the whole book. - Jungle Book, it's got great pics, but Mowgli is naked, but it's always covered up. With fire, with branches, with monkeys. *grins* and then there's - Peter Pan, this one is interesting. but I can't remember all that well.. I'll have to read it again. well, give me your opinions! Ja! 


	5. A Holiday Note

Hey guys!

Ummm… I'm sorry to say that lack of organization and having to clean up a lot in the Christmas holidays has kind of made me not able to update any time soon.

In plain English, I've lost the Childrens Fairy Tale book that I've been taking the stories from…

Please don't kill me.

I'm on a desperate hunt to find it, though it might take the longest time… if you're willing to wait, then I'll have something up telling you when I've found the book…

Well, I really hope that you can all forgive me, and not kill me, though I probably deserve it, leaving you all hanging here for a few months… probably more… O well.

I hope you have some other stories to read because, I'm sorry to say, a hurricane has hit my room ;

Happy Holidays!

Tenshi-Kaikou


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